Fluidic device for corpuscle analysis and related method

Abstract

The present invention describes a fluidic device for measuring at least one of corpuscle mass density and weight. The fluidic device comprises a sedimentation chamber fluidly connected to an inlet channel configured to be immersed in a liquid. The fluidic device further comprises a pumping system connected to the sedimentation chamber. The pumping system is adapted to control the flow of liquid in the sedimentation chamber. A processor of the fluidic device is configured to obtain corpuscle data related to a corpuscle in at least one region of the sedimentation chamber; and calculate at least one of corpuscle mass density and weight based on the data received.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A fluidic device for measuring at least one of a corpuscle mass density and weight, where said fluidic device comprises:
 a sedimentation chamber fluidly connected to an inlet channel 
 a pumping system connected to the sedimentation chamber, wherein said pumping system is adapted to control liquid flow in the sedimentation chamber, wherein the sedimentation chamber comprises a flow channel having a variable internal cross-section, such as to allow the pumping system to induce flows in the sedimentation chamber having a non-zero horizontal component; and 
 a processor configured to:
 obtain corpuscle data related to a corpuscle in at least one region of the sedimentation chamber; and 
 calculate at least one of corpuscle mass density and weight based on the data received. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A fluidic device according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one detecting device configured to acquire the corpuscle data and to provide the corpuscle data to the processor. 
     
     
       3. A fluidic device according to  claim 1 , where the processor is configured to control the pumping system based on at least a part of the obtained corpuscle data. 
     
     
       4. A fluidic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the corpuscle data comprise at least one of corpuscle velocity, shape, position, size. 
     
     
       5. A fluidic device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature control device, configured to provide the processor with a temperature measurement of a liquid in the sedimentation chamber,
 wherein the processor is configured to calculate at least one of the corpuscle mass density and weight based on said temperature measurement. 
 
     
     
       6. A fluidic device according to  claim 5 , wherein the temperature control device is further configured to adjust the temperature of the liquid in the sedimentation chamber based on at least one of the corpuscle mass density and weight provided by the processor and a predetermined temperature value. 
     
     
       7. A fluidic device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a movable support adapted to house at least a part of the at least one detecting device,
 wherein the processor is further configured to guide the movable support based on at least a part of the corpuscle data received. 
 
     
     
       8. A fluidic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sedimentation chamber comprises flow channels connected in parallel to one another and to the inlet channel, wherein each flow channel is also connected to a flow regulator,
 wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive input data related to a corpuscle in the inlet channel; and 
 control the flow regulators based on said input data. 
 
 
     
     
       9. A fluidic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pumping system comprises a recirculation channel connected in parallel to the sedimentation chamber, wherein said recirculation channel comprises a recirculation device, and
 wherein the processor is configured to control said recirculation device for recirculation of liquid in the sedimentation chamber. 
 
     
     
       10. A fluidic device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pumping system further comprises a secondary channel fluidly connected to the sedimentation chamber,
 wherein the processor is configured to selectively control the flow in the secondary channel to introduce liquid into the sedimentation chamber and/or to expel liquid from the sedimentation chamber through the secondary channel. 
 
     
     
       11. A method for measuring at least one of corpuscle mass density and weight, said method comprising:
 introducing a corpuscle to be analyzed into a sedimentation chamber of a fluidic device through an inlet channel; 
 using a flow channel of the sedimentation chamber, the flow channel having a variable internal cross-section, to allow a pumping system to induce flows in the sedimentation chamber having a non-zero horizontal component; 
 obtaining corpuscle data, wherein said corpuscle data are related to a corpuscle in at least one region of the sedimentation chamber, wherein said corpuscle is moving in a liquid at rest in the sedimentation chamber; and 
 calculating at least one of corpuscle mass density and weight based on the data received. 
 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 selecting a corpuscle based on one of mass density, weight, size, and shape; and
 collecting the selected corpuscle in a predetermined container based on at least one of corpuscle mass density, weight, size, and shape.